Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Casting Crowns, Edward Cullen and me

What a crazy title, and how on earth do they correlate?  I know, I know, but it makes more sense than you think.  My very favorite CD right now is the Casting Crowns self title.  Every song on there ministers to me immensely.  Two weeks ago I listened to Voice of Truth and Who am I nonstop.  The past couple of days the song I cannot let go of is Your Love is Extravagant.  The lyrics are so powerful.


Your love is extravagant
Your friendship, it is intimate
I feel I'm moving to the rhythm of Your grace
Your fragrance is intoxicating in the secret place
Cause Your love is extravagant


Chorus:
Spread wide in the arms of Christ there's a love that covers sin
No greater love have I ever known; You considered me a friend
Capture my heart again

Now how on earth does that have ANYTHING to do with Edward Cullen?  Well, both the song and the books have ministered to me a lot.  I am at a place in my life right now where I need to be loved extravagantly.  Wasn't Edward extravagant in his love for Bella?  Wasn't his scent intoxicating to her?  Wasn't he willing to die to protect her? And wasn't it only because of Edward's grace that Bella looked graceful? That is how I am seeing Christ right now.  His love is so extravagant towards me.  He actually did die to protect me from the fires of hell.  His frangrance is intoxicating. And the only beauty and gracefulness in me is because of His grace.  There was so much in the Twilight books that pointed me back to my first love, my Savior.  I know people think I'm crazy but I just kept seeing it.  We are told that the Lord is radiant to those who look on Him, that our human eyes cannot handle His beauty.  I couldn't help but for a moment, to think of Jesus as "sparkling".  What will it be like when we finally see Jesus in the fullness of His light and see His beauty and majesty?  I think it will be like Bella seeing Edward in the light for the first time, except a zillion times more breathtaking, of course.  I know I sound like one of those Twilight obsessed teenagers that 2 months ago I was making fun of but I never thought that I'd read the books and think of Jesus as I read them.  Who would think that a book about a vampire/werewolf/human love triangle could make you think of things eternal?  I certainly didn't think that!  There were a lot of other things in that series than those that I've mentioned here that brought me to thinking of Christ but right now the one I'm focusing on is this, Christ's love for me is extravagant in every way and His beauty is unfathomable!  At a time where I am in desperate, desperate need of extravagant love, I was reminded once again of where it is found.  I won't fault the source; I'll just be thankful that the Lord continually reminds me of how much He loves, adores and cares for me!

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